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Packaging of Fiber Sensors for Civil Engineering Applications

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

R. Brönnimann
Affiliation:
EMPA, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research, Ueberlandstrasse 129, CH-8600 Dübendorf; Switzerland
Ph. M. Nellen
Affiliation:
EMPA, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research, Ueberlandstrasse 129, CH-8600 Dübendorf; Switzerland
P. Anderegg
Affiliation:
EMPA, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research, Ueberlandstrasse 129, CH-8600 Dübendorf; Switzerland
U. Sennhauser
Affiliation:
EMPA, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research, Ueberlandstrasse 129, CH-8600 Dübendorf; Switzerland
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Abstract

Many optical fiber sensor systems in outdoor applications are in operation and reliability aspects are a major concern. We installed multiplexed fiber optical Bragg grating sensor systems in a stay cable bridge and in a power dam both operational for about two years now. We report on design aspects of such systems which have several constraints: First, the sensing parts of a single multiplexed fiber had to be located at certain positions and in a specific orientation. Further, the sensors must be compensated for environmental influence, the fibers were not allowed to be bent too tightly, and the fibers had to be embedded and protected in a sensor body in a way to survive its installation in the monitored structure. Finally the sensor must be reliable to be a useful measurement device.

We present long term monitoring data and test results concerning the reliability of our systems and discuss benefits and disadvantages of the various applied sensor designs.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1998

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